Projects

Intensive Interaction

Over this academic year, two class teams and the Speech and Language Therapy Department will be working with the Intensive Interaction Institute on the Verbal Intensive Interaction (Vii) Project.

This is an exciting project that will explore the benefits of using Intensive Interaction with verbal individuals who have autism. Staff are being mentored by Amandine Mouriere and Julie Calveley from the Intensive Interaction Institute and will learn how to adapt their own style of interaction in order to promote the “Fundamentals of Communication” (Nind & Hewett, 1994, 2001, 2005) such as:

enjoying being with another person

developing ability to attend to another person

using and understanding eye contact

taking turns in exchanges.

Projects and research

At Radlett Lodge School our whole approach is based on sound research and evidence. It is important to us to contribute to knowledge about autism, to build links with others working with children with autism, and to spread awareness and understanding of how autism affects children and families.

Using technology to learn

Our therapy team has been involved in several research projects. We have recently worked with the University of Birmingham on its SHAPE project, which looks at ways of using technology to help children with autism to develop their communication skills. There is more information about the SHAPE project online.

Collaborating with local partners

We are members of a Learning and Skills Improvement Service project which is developing collaborative working between schools and colleges in our local authority. You can find out more about this project online.

KASPAR project

There is a rapidly developing evidence base that suggests technology and computer science can be used very effectively to teach people with autism essential life skills and, in particular, support their social interaction development. We are keen to use the latest cutting-edge technology in order to support our pupils that have taken part in a number of research activities.

We have recently participated in an exciting study involving KASPAR (Kinesics and Synchronisation in Personal Assistant Robotics) which is a therapeutic robot developed by the University of Hertfordshire. Using the robot with children on the autism spectrum has produced some encouraging results so far, and currently we are participating in further research as to how the robot can be used to support the play skills of children with autism.

There is more information about the project online or get in touch with us at school.

"Radlett Lodge School is never complacent about the care and education of its pupils. It benefits from strong and principled leadership which is always ethically driven."